A lockdown of homes and schools in southwest Houston has been lifted without the arrest of a suspect in the shooting of two Houston police officers.

One suspect in the shooting about midday Tuesday was killed at the scene. The other man fled the scene in a neighborhood near Bellfort and Beltway 8 - leading to an hourslong manhunt and lockdown.

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Houston ISD issued an "all clear" for the three schools in the area - Valley West Elementary, Gross Elementary and Welch Middle School - which were put on lockdown as police officers combed the neighborhood.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said Tuesday afternoon that police had identified three burglaries that occurred in the neighborhood. He said at least one burglary was linked to the suspect who was killed on scene. It remains unclear what suspects were involved in the other burglaries.

"It's been a trying day, but please continue to pray for our two officers," Acevedo said.

Officer Ronny Cortez, a 49-year-old officer who has spent nearly 24 years with the Houston Police Department, was shot three times and was in critical condition as of about 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Hermann Hospital Medical Center.

A bullet remained lodged near his spine and doctors have not yet been able to stabilize him, authorities said.

"His condition has improved some but he is still in critical condition," said Dr. David Persse, the city's EMS physician director. Cortez is awake and talking, including with his wife.

"I've talked to his wife," Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "You can image the state she is in. She's concerned about their children and she's concerned about him making it. ... Pray for him and pray for both officers."

Officer involved shooting. Two officers injured and being transported to the hospital. 8714 Sterlingame. CCU4

The other injured officer, 10-year HPD veteran Jose Munoz, 34, is being treated for a non-life-threatening injury to his foot at Ben Taub Hospital, Turner and Acevedo said. His wife has been notified.

Acevedo said at 3 p.m. that he had visited Munoz and found he was doing well despite being in pain.

"I'm just thankful," the chief said. "We could have had two dead officers today."

"What we've seen today is the courage of the American police officer," Acevedo continued. "As much as society likes to disparage our police officers ... they're brave. They run toward danger."

SUSPECT STILL AT LARGE

The shooting happened around noon Tuesday as officers searched for burglary suspects following a 911 call at 11:08 a.m., Acevedo said.

It took place in the 8700 block of Sterlingame in southwest Houston, a residential area near the intersection of the Southwest Freeway and Beltway 8.

Cortez and Munoz were flagged down by a resident concerned about a door to her storage shed that was ajar, Acevedo said. When the two officers went to check the shed, they encountered a suspect who opened fire, striking both officers multiple times. The officers returned fire and killed the suspect.

Still at large is another suspect, a Hispanic male in all-black clothing with a blue bandana, Acevedo said at a news conference about 2:15 p.m.

Dozens of officers searched the neighborhood, going from house to house and checking vehicles' trunks as they left the area.

NEIGHBORS SHARE DETAILS

Jeffrey Willis, who lives two doors down from the site of the shooting, said Cortez lives in the neighborhood and was investigating a possible burglary.

Willis said he was watching as Cortez encountered a suspect and was shot. Willis said there have been a number of burglaries recently in the area.

Another neighbor who asked not to be named said he slept through the incident after returning from a trip but saw "an ocean of police" outside his home.

Television footage taken from TV helicopters shows heavily armed police officers combing the neighborhood along with canine units.

A neighbor leaving the area, who did not want to be identified, said his truck was searched by police to make sure no one was inside.

"It's very upsetting because you have a few elderly people at home in the neighborhood that are actually at home during the day," He said.

In addition to the three public schools that were placed on lockdown, authorities locked down the nearby Houston Community College outpost at the Brays Oaks Center, according to HCC spokesman Todd Duplantis.

Cortez' daughter attends Boston College, where she is a catcher on the softball team. Boston police picked her up at school and put her on a United Airlines flight, so she could be in Houston by this evening to visit her father, police said. Acevedo thanked the airline for their assistance.